Bernard morahan



B. MORAHAN. Finishing Tool for Pottery Ware.

No. 228,774. Patented June 15,1880. 7

UNITED STATES PATENT Grrrca.

BERNARD MORAHAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FINISHING-TOOL FOR POTTERY-WARE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,774, dated June 15, g 1880.

Application filed December 3, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD MORAHAN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Finishing- Tool for Pottery-Ware, of which the following is a specification.

My invention was devised with more immediate reference to smoothing or evening in the interior of my potteryware or ceramic wash-tubs, described in several patents to me, one dated September 7, 1878, No. 207,978; but I believe it may be used with success on the surfaces of ceramic ware generally. It is adapted to impart the required compressing and smoothing to the surface of the plastic clay by a rolling action without any slipping of the surfaces one upon the other. It allows of working into corners with the same facility as an ordinary slicker or spatula.

I have discovered that pottery-ware may be smoothed by a rolling action with a partial roller having a fired-clay or plaster surface. Such ware is ordinarily condensed and smoothed by batting and by a rubbing action with a smoothing or slicking tool. Batting leaves the surfaces indented. Rubbing or slicking may leave them s1nootl1,but,I believe, injures the ware.

I believe the cracks known as fire-cracks, which appear in ceramic ware after the burning, are largely or entirely due to very minute cracks started in the material by the friction of the ordinary slicker.

I have by the aid of a microscope found cracks in slickened and unburned surfaces where they have not been previously suspected.

I find that the production of the required smoothness and the absence of the indentations and ridges on the surface may be equally well insured by the rolling motion given by my tool as by the slicking heretofore commonly employed.

The invention greatly reduces the risk of cracking.

I make a tool with a surface about a third or fourth of a complete cylinderthat is to say, it is strictly cylindrical along the greater portion. Near each edge it is very slightly rounded.

I believe burned unglazed pottery-ware to be the best material for the face portion. The other parts may be of any material that will give the required strength and rigidity.

I propose either to make the main portion of wood with a face of pottery, or to make the whole molded of pottery-ware.

A convenient handle is provided close to the surface and properly arranged to allow considerable force to be applied on the tool in all its rolling positions.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fi 2, a crosssection, and Fig. 3 a top View.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is the main portion of the face. It is strictly cylindrical. A A are slightly-rounded extensions on each side. The whole face A A A is of burned unglazed pottery-ware.

A is a back or body of sufficient mass to give the required strength, and A is a handle. The whole are rigidly connected, so as to be practically in one piece.

I have in my experiments made my finishing-tool three and a half inches wide and eight and a half inches long.

I propose to have several different sizes of the tool for the different parts of the work. I

I propose to make one or both ends of one tool rounded at a small angle to crowd into and to some extent roll the surface in the rounded corners of my tubs and analogous articles. I

I claim as my invention- 1. The Within-described pottery-smoothing tool having a nearly-cylindrical face, A A A, body A and handle A adapted to even the surface-by a rolling motion, as herein specified.

2. The within-described method of smootlr ing pottery-surfaces by a rolling motion, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of July, 1879, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNARD MORAHAN. I Witnesses:

WM. 0. DEY, CHARLEs O. S'rErsoN. 

